Improvement in bumper-brakes for railroad-cars



2 Sheets8heet 1. F. ARMSTRONG.

v Car Brake. I

No. 16,042. Patented Nov. 11, 1856.

inventor:

AM. Puom-Lnnu. co. Nx (ossnnuz's PRcciss.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. ARMSTRONG.

Car Brake.

' Patented Now", 1856.

lnvenip r,

AM. PHOTO-THO. 60. NA. (0! BORNE'S PROCESS) can be seen in Figures 1 and 2.

UNiTED STATES PATENT OrrrcE.

FRANCIS ARMSTRONG, OF NEV ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUMPER-BRAKES FOR RAILROAD-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16,042, dated November 11, 1856.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS Annsrnoxc, of the city of New Orleans, parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, have made a new and use ful Improvement in the Construction of Self- Acting and Self-Adjusting Brakes for Railroad-Oars; and I hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The modns ope randz' of this invention: The first motion acquired from the pull on the cars in their being started by the power of the locomotive-engine I make the coupling to move longitudinally on the'draft-bar a distance of two inches before the main bumper is acted on in the pulling, although it is not important to confine this movement of the coupling to this stated distance, provided the other parts of the apparatus that move in connection with it are arranged in accordance. I place in front of the car-frame, on either side of the coupling, heads mounted on the ends of bars that pass through the front crossframe of the cars, the arrangement of which These heads are actuated on by springs to secure their established distance of projection from the frame when not being forced back by any pressure acting on them. To the same bars on which these heads are mounted at the reverse ends from the head I attach a bar. Each one of these bars (marked m in Figs. 1 and 2) is made to extend to an arm marked 10. (Seen in same figures.) This arm a is mount ed on the vertical shaft g, to which is attached the double arm to. To this arm 20 the rods that connect the beams on which the frictionblocks that act on the wheels as brakes are attached, and the turning of the shaft g by a force acting on the arm it closes the brakes on the wheels. The bar m is made to pass through the arm a, there being a mortise made through the arm a to admit the bar m to pass through, as seen in Fig. 5. hen the bar m is in one position, the force acting on the head to which it is attached can slide it through the mortise in the arm a without acting on the shaft g as to turn or give it motion; but when the bar m is changed in another position, then a force acting on the head to which it is attached must act on the shaft g, because the arm a and the bar or are placed in contact by a hook on the bar and a clutch 011 the arm, as seen by Fig. 1. Therefore any force acting 011 the bar on must also communicate motion to the arm a and shaft 9 and close the brakes on the wheels by said motion.

To secure a movement of the bar on in the change of position, as stated, to connect and disconnect a continuation of force to be given on the shaft g, this is effected by the sliding of the coupling on the draft-bar.

On the lower sides of the two center beams of the car-frame is placed the iron frame 0, the form of which can be seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4:. On this frame is mounted and working in guides the bar a, that is connected to the bar at by crank-arm t and links 8 s, as seen by Figs. 1, 2, and There is also mounted on the frame 0 the latch r, with its spring o, made to catch the bar it when drawn forward, as seen by Fig. 1. The bar it is attached to the cross-bar i, mounted also on frame 0, and the cross-bar 6 connected to the coupling by the bars 1 1'. Then the drawing out of the coupling swings the bar m and latches the bar 72, to prevent any change of position in the bar m, as seen by Fig. 1, that the bar m is in position to act on the arm a in the turningthe shaft g. Through the frame 0 a mortise is made, (seen by Fig. 1, marked o,) the cross-bar ihaving abranch extending through this mortise and making a clamp fora spring placed below and attached to the frame 0. This spring h,with themode of attachment, is seen by Figs. 2 and 3. \Vhen this coupling is acting in moving the cross-bar i, the spring his made to yield to this force. The latching of the bar a secures the force of elasticity of the spring h to change the position of the bar in in the placing it, so that its end, including its hook, will move through the mortise in the arm a without tu rning the shaft g. The bar m, attached to its projecting head, identical to that of the bar in, (seen by Fig. l, m',) is made to throw out the latch u from the catch on the bar it by the force acting on the projecting head to which it is attached. To this bar there is a portable clutch to be placed in such position as will act on the latch 4; when the pressure'on the brakes has been obtained by the force communicated by the bar at. The latch, when thrown out of its catch on a, relieves the spring h from any permanent detention in the yielding of its elasticity, and only prevented from springing back and changing in so doing the position of the bar m, so that it can move through the mortise in the arm a by the force of pressure acting on the brakes. As this pressure ceases, the change can be established or the reverse position made.

I will now refer to the separate figures after this general description.

Fig. 1 is a ground plan of the general arrangement of constructing the car-frame truck on which the wheels are mounted, wheels, shaft of wheels, &c. a is the coupling to which the different cars are connected attached to and sliding in guides in the front cross-frame of the cars, similar to the usual modes used in their attachment to the frame. To the coupling are attached projections on either side, admitting the bars 1" r to pass through, and these bars 0' working free through the openings of said projections, so the coupling can slide inward without throwing any force on the cross-bar i or disturb the position of the spring h. Z) is the main bumper, made and placed similar to the common mode, mounted on guides fastened to the car frame. 0 is the draft-bar, attaching the bumper b to the coupling a and connected to the coupling by a key, the key fittingthe mortise through the coupling; but the mortise in-the draft-bar is madelongenoughtoadmitthecoupling toslide inward and give room for the key to play equal to the distance the coupling has to slide. 0 is the iron frame attached to the frame of the cars. The timber to which this frame is supposed to be attached in this receiver is in part removed, in order to make the arrangement more clear, showing the flanges and the places for the bolts to pass to attach the same to the car-frame. o is the mortise through 0, admittingthe projecting branch of the bar I; to extend down to catch the spring h. t' is the cross-bar working on the frame 0, and between its elevated sides made between the lower table and the flanges to fasten the frame 0 to the frame of the cars. a is a bar attached to cross-bar 1;, mounted on the table part of 0, working in guides to secure a parallel motion, the projection of the bar '1; in its sliding in the mortise 0 acting as a guide at one end. o is the latch mounted on 0, actuated by spring 1; to catch the bar a when drawn forward bythe movement of the coupling. 7' 0' are bars connecting the coupling to the cross-bar i. s s are links attaching the bar a to the bar m through the use of the crank arm I. c a are projecting heads placed on either side of the coupling mounted on the bars 6 c, said bars passing through the front cross-timber of the frame of the cars, and, to secure them from being extended through the frame more than a limitcd distance by the action of the springs holding the heads in their projected position, keys are placed through the bars 6 e catching the beam, through whi h theypass on the reverse side from the springs. The springs actin gs on these heads a a are shown made of spiral form. It is not important whether made of this form or of other forms. If the spiral form is used, room must be allowed for the springs to act, so that no force acting on the heads can force the springs into a closed body, thereby past their elastic compass. The heads can be constructed in the form of a cup the same as the sleeves 0', so a portion of the spring can be admitted and increases its elastic compass without changing the extent of projection of the heads. 0 e are sleeves made in the form of a cup to allow the end of the springs to seat, with screws to admit the sleeves to be acted on to increase the force of elasticity of the springs, if required. h 7i are ends of elliptic spring attached to frame 0 and clamped by the bar i. m is the bar connected to bar 2, the end of which is placed through the mortise in the arm it, having a hook of circular form catching a projection on the arm a of corresponding form, by which the shaft g is made to turn. a is the arm on shaft g. 10 is one end of double arm attached to shaft 9, to which the rods It 70 connect to the beams having the friction-blocks on. f is the lever attached to arm 10,110 which the hand-brake is connected. on is the bar connecting the bar e to the latch 1 There is a mortise in this bar at to admit it to slide on the guide attaching to the latch; also to allow an adjnsting-catchto be moved and placed so the latch can be thrown from its connection with the bar a at the time required.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation showing the position of the frame of the cars truckwheels, &c. a is the coupling (only aportion of this is seen-more clearly seen in Fig. 3.) a is the projecting head. 6 is the bar passing throughfront frame of car attached to the projecting head and bar m. e is the sleey e to act on spring. 12 is the main bumper. h is the end of elliptic spring attached to a projection extending down and a part of the frame 0. dis the clamp of spring and screw through same to force more power in the spring, if required. 0 is the frame on which bar 1', bar a, latch 2 spring 1; are mounted, also showing the elevated sides and the flanges to which the same are fastened to the carframe with the extended table from said sides.

mt is the bar connecting bar e to arm a. g is the shaft on which arm a and double arm are attached, with the mode of mounting the shaft g to the cross-frame of the truck. 70 70' are rods attaching arm w to the cross-beam to which the friction-blocks are attached. In these rods Ihave represented the placing of springs that can be made to yield when a heavy force is brought to bear on the brakes to shield the apparatus from injury under suchcircumstances. .s' s are links attaching bar on to bar '11. t is the crank-arm connecting links 8 s and the mode of mounting it.

Fig. 3.-This figure is intended to make more clear parts not definitely shown in Fig. 2. The projecting head is not shown, so the form of the coupling could be more clearly given. The bars m, m, and r are supposed to be cut and portions intervening omitted. to is the coupling with key through it and draft-bar c. b is the main bumper. 0' 0" are ends of bar 0'. (Shown in full in Fig.1.) 0% is the section of bar m, as shown in Fig. 1. The bars 6 e and the attachment to bars on and on. being identical, therefore Figs. 1 and 2 explain their forms, and as this does not give the bar 6 or the connection to bar m the figures referred to must be used in this particular. '2 is the bar, having bar it and bar 0' through or attached. This bar is seen projecting through the frame 0, clamping spring h. n is the bar mounted on 0. v is the end of the latch. c is the portable clutch. The other figures making the continued ex planation of portions shown in this figure, further reference is not deemed necessary.

Fig. 4 shows the front end View of the frame 0 as made and attached to the frame of the cars, with side View of cross-bar i and the holes to attach the bar 11. and the bars 0' r to it in their being passed through it. A side view of spring N is also shown.

Fig. 5 shows the front view of the shaft g,

with arm it having the mortise through which the bar 172 has to move, the double arm on, and the pillar-blocks by which the shaft is attached to truck. In the mortise in the arm n room must be allowed for the projection of the hook on the bar m, that is continuously through it to move and not strike the end of the mortise should there be a sudden pull on the coupling that would vibrate the bar on a greater distance thanthat necessary to place it in position to catch on the arm a.

After this my description of this invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment of the yielding force made by the pull on the cars to adjust the apparatus and place it in position, that the force acting by the cars coming in contact with each other will secure that force to act on the brakes and close them on the Wheels, and the force made by the pull on the cars when allowed to react reversing the position of the apparatus in the placing it so that the pressure of the cars acting against each other can operate on the apparatus and have no action on the brakes, and this is claimed whether done by the described apparatus or any other analogous mode producing the same eifect.

NATHL. W. FOWLER, R. H. BRADFORD. 

